Black Chicken Options - help me choose!

[Chicalina]

I love black chickens, and I have the opportunity to buy some hatching eggs from the following bantam breeds:

Black Australorp
Black Copper Maran
Black Orpington
Black Thuringian
Black Wyandotte

As well as beauty, I want them all to get along and be happy in my backyard. I've got the following in my little flock already:

Polish
Silkie
Wyandotte
Polish/silkie cross

And I'm currently hatching:

Serama
OEGB
Sebright

Please help me choose the right fit and tell me your experiences of them. Thank you!

 

[DogsAndChicks123]

Orpington’s are usually a very sweet breed and so are Australorp‘s.Orpingtons are also great if you are planning on hatching chicks

 

[Chicalina]

I've had Orpingtons in the past but they were large fowl. Never had them in bantams. I love their floofiness!

I've never kept any of the other choices before.

Forgot to say, I'm only going to hatch 6 shipped eggs, so it's all a gamble anyway.

 

[Chicalina]

maybe I should get 6 eggs each of two breeds...

I could get carried away too easily here

 

[Sally PB]

I love my Black Australorps. Very nice, docile, and quiet.

 

[DogsAndChicks123]

You could also try the Ayam Cemani they are a completely black breed from their skin and feathers to their bones and organs.The downside to them is they only lay 80 to 100 eggs a year but they are beautiful especially when they are iridescen.

 

[DogsAndChicks123]

Sorry typo I meant iridescent

 

[Chicalina]

Yes the Ayam Cemani is lovely!

I think I might have the black feathers/black skin covered already though by my little polish silkie cross, Dottie

 

[Chicalina]

OMG now I'm also looking at barnevelders and silver pencilled wyandottes. They aren't even completely black!

Someone stop me before I end up with a gazillion new chickens!

 

[orloffer]

Black Australorp
Black Copper Maran
Black Orpington
Black Thuringian
Black Wyandotte

My favorite ones from this list, based solely on looks, would be the Black Thuringian (love the beard/muff!) and the Black Wyandotte (so fluffy!).